Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College softball team who is in their final stretch of SCIAC games found themselves pinned against No. 10 Redlands who they split with at home back on March 9. But this time around the Bulldogs got the most of the Poets winning 5-4 and 4-3 taking the sweep Saturday afternoon.
Despite having both games be one run differentials the Poets still are in the hunt for the SCIAC playoffs with eight games left.
Game 1 (L, 5-4)
Redlands went up early 3-0 after the first two innings and then extended their lead to 5-0 after a Sharp double and an Uphold single in the 5th, but the Purple & Gold mounted a comeback in the top half of the 6th bringing across four runs.
Mickala Gonzales led off the inning with a walk and after a liner from Xzandra Miranda-Castro to the shortstop, Mercedez Cundiff came up and hit a two run shot that pulled the Poets within three. But they weren't done there as Jordan Learn worked a walk in the ensuing at bat before Courtney Grana singled up the middle putting a runner into scoring position.
Following Erica Lespron coming in as a pinch runner for Grana, Alyse Gutierrez came up and belted a double to right center bringing home two pulling the Poets within one. But to the dismay of the Purple & Gold Uphold came back into the game to get Alexandra Flores and Cindy Loza to fly out to preserve the one run victory.
Courtney DeLano got the start for the Poets and was tagged with her third loss of the season going four complete surrendering five runs on six hits.
Five Poets recorded a hit on the afternoon led by Cundiff who finished 1-2 with a run scored and two runs batted in.
Game 2 (L, 4-3)
Head Coach Shelley Whitaker looked towards Heather Salisbury for the second game start. She threw 3.2 innings giving up two runs on seven hits for her first loss on the season before giving way to Jessica Rosnack who gave up two runs on two hits, which included a homerun in 2.1 innings.
In the second game, the game remained scoreless through three innings before Redlands struck first with two in the bottom half of the fourth. But in the 5th, the Poets got on the scoreboard thanks to a single by Grana up the middle that brought around Cundiff who led off the inning with a double.
Only leading by one, Redlands would add another two runs in the bottom half of the 5th to extend their lead to 4-1 before the Poets mounted their comeback bringing across two. With one out Mellano doubled to left center and was immediately followed by a double to left by Gonzales. After a groundout from Miranda-Castro, Cundiff doubled to left center scoring Emi Shimamoto who checked in as a pinch runner. But with two outs and a runner in scoring position, Learn grounded out to second ending the Poet threat and ultimately allowing Redlands to escape with the one run victory.
Cundiff finished the day 3-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
